A college student returns to his dorm room after a night out with friends to and soon learns that his entire family, except for his brother who is in prison, have been found dead in Mexico. While initially it seems like an accident, it quickly changes into a conspiracy surrounding his brother’s conviction for murder. The book alternates between different narrators and the past and present which helps you keep turning the pages.

Overall, a great, fast paced book, which I would recommend. The ending was surprising and unexpected, which I love in a twisty thriller. The main characters were likable and strong. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Alex Finlay for an advanced e-copy of this book. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
Pub Date 03/02/2021
Thriller

The Pine family torn apart and ultimately brought together by tragedy.
"You have two choices when your faced with your Every Last Fear; give up or fight like hell.
This was probably the best thriller I've read all year, I know it will definitely be in my top 10 favorites for 2020.
Action packed and scary, just what I like. It was an edge of seat book for sure.
Definitely be on the look out for this book coming out next year!
Thank you St. Martin's press and Netgalley for the advanced copy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow ..what did I just read.. Wow!!!!
Such a fantastic book...loved the writing style,The characters and absolutely everything about this book.
First I've heard of this author hoping he has other books to check out.
Pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.

Every Last Fear is a thriller that follows mainly a character named Matt who has become somewhat famous after the release of a Netflix documentary that follows his family after his older brother is incarcerated for murdering his girlfriend. At the start of the book, Matt learns that his father, mother, sister, and younger brother are murdered in Mexico. The book splits off into several timelines and character perspectives as Matt tries to figure out what exactly happened to his family.

Things this book did well include the incorporation of the Netflix series and how people react to that type of media. It is very reminiscent of Making a Murderer. Also the overall main mystery of the deaths of Matt’s family members was very interesting to follow.

Things I did not enjoy about this book include the jumping timelines and perspectives. I have read several books with timeline shifts and multiple perspectives but having more than one perspective in each timeline made it very confusing. Also every character seemed to be trying to reach a different goal making it hard to follow who was doing what and when. Thrillers rely heavily on the twist and I thought the twist felt too easy.

I thought overall this was an enjoyable read, especially for a debut. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. I feel like this book had a lot of good seeds, it just didn’t all hit perfectly for me.

I received an advanced reader's copy of Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay in exchange for the following review.

Overall: 3.75/5 stars (rounded to 4/5 stars)

Matt Pine is no stranger to tragedy. Years after his brother Danny goes to prison for the murder of his girlfriend (the subject of a now-famous documentary), the rest of his family turns up dead in an accident on a vacation to Mexico. But Matt's father and sister never gave up on proving Danny's innocence, raising questions about the motive to visit Mexico. What none of them know is that Matt saw something the night Danny supposedly murdered his girlfriend. Now, odd strangers turn up with intentions to cause Matt harm, and the FBI enlists his help to recover his family's bodies.

The pacing of the plot moves along without getting dry. Finlay raises questions as soon as answering them, continuously relieving and building waves of tension. Chapters from other characters' perspectives chip away at the mystery from all angles, leaving you to wonder how they all tie together. Characters play conflicts close to the chest, such that intrigue and sympathy reveals itself throughout the story.

From a technicality perspective, Finlay has no egregious faults, but has a simple writing style that I found average. For those who dislike flowery imagery, the language will engage without boring. For those who enjoy beautiful and descriptive language, you will find it lacking, but can easily enjoy the well-designed plot. Characters mostly act with understandable motivation and prove sympathetic, although a bit of clunky characterization earlier in the book left me questioning as it never became relevant again. Finlay's ability to write characters is not bad by any means, but these are not unforgettable characters either.

Overall, Every Last Fear was engaging, well-paced, plot-driven, and a welcome addition to my collection of crime thrillers. While the book is enjoyable, I look forward to seeing Finlay grow as an author by developing a distinct voice in their prose and creating even more complex and complicated characters in future stories.

Every Last Fear is a multi-narrator thriller filled with twists and turns that keeps you flipping pages until the end.

Matt and Danny are brothers but they haven’t seen each other since Danny’s incarceration. Danny was convicted of murdering his high school girlfriend after a coerced confession and since then his family has been trying to prove his innocence beyond a responsible doubt.

Except Matt. Who thinks Danny is right where he belongs.

Alex Finlay has clearly mastered the thriller genre. The story never lags, but slows down in enough places to let the reader catch their breath. While multiple perspective/multi-narrator stories have become a trope of the thriller genre, Finlay has managed to write one where each perspective comes with a unique voice and—more importantly—all work together to further the plot.

Finlay spins a tall tale, with a dozen subplots mixed in, but manages to spin each of these threads together to create a cohesive story and keep even the most outlandish of them on track with the rest of the book when things could have easily gone off the rails.

The result is a family you’re heartbroken for, a mystery you want to see solved, and a thriller that is near impossible to put down once you start.

5 Stars!

Best book of the year by far! And its not even released until 2021, so it will probably be my favorite book 2 years in a row!

I can't say enough great things about this book- the premise alone makes it a must watch if you like non-stop action. Matt, an NYU student comes home after a night of partying to find an FBI agent waiting with terrible news. His entire family was found dead in Mexico with the exception of his older brother Danny- who was serving a life sentence in a penitentiary for murder. Years earlier Danny had been the subject of a Netflix-esque documentary about his case, wrongful convictions and innocent confessions.

From the first sentence- "They found the bodies on a Tuesday" I was hooked. The story is told from alternating narrators and perspectives and I had no idea how each event could be linked. Alex Finlay is brilliant at weaving in rich details, full of clues that pop up at different times in the book. This book caused me to look up words I wasn't familiar with- carpetbaggers and sycophants and verify if the Nebraska slogan really is "Honestly, it's not for everyone" - It is!! I'm assuming Alex Finlay has some type of government background because the entire story rang very true.

But let's talk about Alex. Who is Alex Finlay? Is Alex a man? a woman? Why does it matter? It doesn't, but I love the mystery surrounding this new talent. I don't care who Alex really is, all I need is for them to keep writing! They are at the top of my list of new favorite authors!

Thank you to #netgalley and #minotaurbooks for a complimentary copy of #everylastfear

Alex Finlay has readers guessing how or if the two mysteries are even related to each other.

The story is told though different points of review though different time periods. The author keeps everyone on track with using time and names at the beginning of each chapter.

The author created characters that will have readers able to connect with from a mother who is FBI agent, to a son who loses his family more than once. The story brings closure for some and other are left wondering what will happen next to them.

The author create a world that feels as if it was current and could happen to anyone around you. The story has a flow that helps create, developed, characters and scenes that build on one another even though at the time it might not make since.

Can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Alex Finlay Every Last Fear.

Every Last Fear reads like the best kind of crime drama playing right before your eyes. Matt Pine comes back to his NYU dorm after a night of partying to the worst news possible news; his entire family who were on vacation in Mexico was just found dead. What at first looks like an accidental gas leak turns out to be so much more and it has everyone wondering: could this relate to the murder that put Danny Pine, Matt's older brother, in prison seven years ago.

The unique plot was built on real characters with multifaceted lives. Each chapter revealed new plot and more layers to the story, causing the reader to constantly adjust their theory on what happened. The constantly changing perspective, where everyone has a different piece of the puzzle, is engaging and gives butterflies just like all good thrillers.

The web that Alex Finlay was able to weave in this novel was intricate and fascinating. The things this family went through all because of one night are heartbreaking. The ending was satisfying. I had to mentally decompress after the amount of action my heart just went through. Every Last Fear is a new favorite of mine.

Many thanks to Alex Finlay, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and cared about them. I liked the different POV’s. I liked the premise. So what happens when you realize a third the way through who the villain is? . Normally I would have lost interest and it wouldn’t be very exciting. Here, the pacing and writing was good enough to rush to the dramatic last few chapters to discover the bigger question of why. So keep going, it’s worth it.

Matt is devastated to learn that his entire family died on their vacation to Mexico. Now, his only living family member is his incarcerated brother - arrested for a vicious murder that was then made into Netflix documentary. The FBI gets involved. As Matt follows the FBI's directives to handle his family's affairs, a series of strange events begins to unfold. Did his family die of natural causes like local authorities say? Was it something else? What was his family involved with?

Told in many alternating viewpoints during the "before" and the "after", this story unfolds lightning fast and with such emotion. I genuinely loved and empathized with so many of the characters! You really didn't know who was "good" and "bad" - much like in real life - everyone was just very realistic and human. I actually wish this book could've been longer so I could keep enjoying the story! I do feel like I would've liked to read more in certain storylines. It felt a bit rushed to me. Other than that - highly recommend. This is a fresh take on a popular and sometimes overcrowded genre!

4 stars for this fresh take on the crime thriller genre!

There's a lot going on in this story, but not too much that it's confusing. The different elements combine effortlessly to reveal the full picture of the crimes. The multiple narrators was a smart choice as it helped me connect to the whole Pine family and Special Agent Keller. I'd definitely recommend this read to any crime junkie and look forward to what Alex Finlay offers next!

This book was a great fast afternoon read. I love how the story is carefully woven with the past land the present. A family is faced with the trying to save a son that has been convicted of murder. Trying to save your family and your own sanity at the same time. Great story and love the twist at the end.

This story is... a lot! There's a lot going on, and there are a lot of POVs, and there's a lot of time jumps. It all works, but it's a lot to keep up with - definitely a book I'd recommend for a one day read.

I thought it was particularly interesting to see a Netflix documentary featured as part of the overall plot and the many ways it came up. It was intriguing to see what's probably happening to the people in the film when the rest of the world is binging for entertainment. It was also interesting to see how each member of the family was handling the case and Danny's jailing.

The first line - They found the bodies on a Tuesday. - is one of the best hooks I've read this year and maybe ever.

This was one of the best psychological thrillers that I have read to date. It was so much more than I expected. The many twists and turns made this book difficult to put down.

Ever Last Fear was a riveting debut novel by Alex Finlay. I requested this one on a whim and was pleasantly surprised that I could not put this book down. It features Matt, a college student whose brother is in jail for murdering his girlfriend. Matt is devastated when FBI agent Sarah Keller arrives on campus to break the news that both his parents and two remaining siblings died on vacation in Mexico due to a gas leak. Matt has to travel to Mexico to identify their bodies and quickly finds that someone is following him and watching their every move. Suspicions arise regarding their death around the same time a Netflix documentary featuring the murder of his brother Danny’s girlfriend is set to be released. The filmmakers claim to have evidence that could help clear Danny’s name. Could his families murder be linked to the murder of his brothers girlfriend? His father and 17 year old sister Maggie had been digging and doing their own murder investigation prior to their deaths.

This book was action packed with several twists and turns. I loved the fact that it was told from multiple POV’s from the different family members and Sarah. This novel was incredibly well executed with complex characters and rich and dynamic storyline. This will definitely be an author I watch out for in the future and a top read in 2020 for me. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Alex Finlay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Every Last Fear is an excellent thriller, told through several different points of view, that kept me quickly turning the pages until its exciting conclusion. I enjoyed this novel very much, and I recommend it highly, especially to those who enjoy a smart, well-plotted thriller. I also look forward to Alex Finlay’s next novel!

This was quick and I couldn’t put it down - didn’t guess the ending at all! Almost seemed like real life with the Netflix documentary and everything.

This book was the perfect example of a roller-coaster-page-turner-can't-put-down read. Wow!
A family is found dead in Tulum, Mexico. The suspected cause is a gas leak in their rental home, but then the investigation uncovers the fact that the death scene seems staged. The father, one of the victims, was recently let go from his job at a firm being investigated by the FBI. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

The surviving family consists of two sons - one a student at NYU, the other in prison for murdering his high school girlfriend. Mysterious and dangerous things start happening and the reader is left wondering who killed this family? Was the imprisoned son framed for murder? And who seems to be targeting the other son?

Enter the FBI agent who acts as the string tying all of this together. She's smart, determined, and is more than a little badass. I'm hoping for a sequel based on this character.

GREAT book. If you're looking for a fun and engrossing summer read, this is it.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay – 5 Stars
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250268822

A family suspiciously killed by a gas leak in Mexico? A son previously convicted and jailed for murder? And now, the other remaining son, Matt, must put the pieces together to gain back sanity and respect for his family. As you begin reading this, remember that the background conviction of Danny for murder that gets told via side text, is really a key to the crimes in this tale. Sure, his family is instantly wiped out right off, but is it tied to Danny’s conviction? The story is like a crescendo in music – interest and suspense continually increases until the end. I was a bit thrown off by the intermittent notes on Danny’s case, but finally realized it was the key that when investigated, unwound and reconstructed set the fireworks for an explosive ending that revealed the guilty players. Thanks you Netgalley and Minotaur for allowing me to review this fine book by Alex Finlay.


Reviewer: Rich